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By Crystal McGough
PINSON – After 16 years, Pinson Mayor Hoyt Sanders served his final council meeting with the Pinson City Council Thursday night, Oct. 15, 2020. See PINSON, Page 6
Annexation and rezoning request for Limestone quarry temporarily withdrawn in Clay From The Tribune staff reports
CLAY — The city of Clay’s Planning and Zoning Committee will not hear from the Walker Family Holdings Ltd. on a rezoning request for a limestone quarry on Thursday. See QUARRY, Page 6
Pinson closes on Turkey Creek property exchange with Freshwater Land Trust
See TURKEY CREEK, Page 5
New Mexican restaurant coming to Trussville shopping center
See EL PATRON, Page 5
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50 Cents
By Erica Thomas, managing editor
SPRINGVILLE — When he comes into office on Nov. 2, 2020, Springville mayor-elect Dave Thomas said he will appoint a new police chief. Wayne Walton, who previously worked for the Springville Police Department will take over. Thomas said he wanted Walton because of his dedication to the city. “He went to the Alabama State Troopers and then went to Ragland,” Thomas said. Thomas said the chief of police position will be the first of many changes that will be made in the department. As for Walton, he has been in law enforcement since he graduated from the Montgomery Police Academy in 1998. He was one of the first officers with the city of Springville and stayed there for 21 years. “I was K9, Motor Scout, I was with the St. Clair Coun-
Springville’s incoming Police Chief, Wayne Walton (right) with his wife, Stacy (left).
ty SWAT Team for a while,” Walton said. “I rose through the ranks and I was a lieutenant with the investigators.” Walton left Springville
when he was presented an opportunity with the bama State Troopers. “I went through Trooper Academy at
with Alathe 60,”
Trussville City Schools BOE hopes to improve community relations
Walton said. “I had like a 93.7 grade-point-average.” After a year, Walton was offered a job with the Ragland Police Department, where he was working when Mayor-elect Thomas gave him a buzz. “He said, ‘Are you ready to come home?’ and I said, ‘Yes, sir!” Walton remembered. Becoming a police officer was a goal for Walton for most of his young life. When he was only 13-years-old and working as a paperboy in East Lake, he had a runin with the law that he will never forget. “My daddy told me to come home and I wouldn’t come home,” Walton said. “When I come home, there was a police officer at my house. Officer Bill Bates, I’ll never forget him as long as I live. I saw that badge and those shining boots and after seeing him, I knew I wanted to be a cop.” See WALTON, Page 5
HR Director in Trussville resigns after 1 year, looking forward to family time TRUSSVILLE — Trussville Human Resources Director Peggy Washington Polk is resigning effective Oct. 31, 2020, after one year on the job. When Polk was hired, her job was to head up the city’s new Personnel Board. However, since she took on the job, the city has been dealing with legal matters concerning forming its own personnel board, and Polk said her job has turned into a Human Resources position. “The Personnel Board is not as intensive as doing dayto-day HR work,” Polk said. “I worked for the city of Birmingham and retired and that was a lot of responsibility. So, when I came here to set up the board, I thought the duties would be different but when I got here and the board did not materialize, I found myself doing the same thing that I just retired from.”
The city passed an ordinance in April of 2019, to break away from the Jefferson County Personnel Board (JCPB) and form its own entity to handle its own personnel, after four months of research. The city informed the JCPB about its intentions but was not given approval by the JCPB. The move started a legal battle, and the city was ordered to halt any actions by its own Personnel Board. Family is another reason Polk decided to stop working. She said a cousin who has been terminally ill came to live with her and died in September. “He died on September 6th,” Polk explained. “So, I have become the executor of his estate and with COVID and us not being able to work from home because of the infrastructure, at my age I decided to focus on the responsibility of his estate. In addition to that, I have a lot of underlying health issues.
I find I am putting myself at risk by being at work every day when I don’t financially need to.” While she did face some challenges during her time with the city, Polk said overall, she thinks the city is progressing in a positive direction. “I think bringing on an HR department has been a great value to the city of Trussville,” she said. “There is nothing about Trussville that I don’t love. The council
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From The Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The Trussville City Schools Board of Education participated in a retreat and meeting on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020. See TCS, Page 5
Bond revoked for man charged with sexual torture of Trussville child
Christopher Deward James. Photo: Jefferson County Jail. See BOND REVOKED, Page 3
Jefferson County Courthouses to open on Saturdays for absentee voting From The Tribune staff reports
has been very good to work with and so has the mayor.” Polk said she may do some consulting after the risk of coronavirus neutralizes, but for now, she is looking forward to being home with her husband of 33 years. “We’re spending a lot of time together,” Polk added. “We’re getting closer again because he has been retired for 10 years. So, having time to spend together is a positive thing.” Polk has also joined the Trussville Rotary Daybreak Club and plans to stay involved with the city. She recommended Amanda Dixon, the current Human Resources Project Coordinator, to take her place. The city has been ordered by the court to return to operating under the JCPB until the legal issue can be resolved. The case between the city of Trussville and the JCPB is scheduled to be brought before a Jefferson County judge on April 26, 2021.
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Meet Springville’s incoming Police Chief: He’s coming home
By Erica Thomas, managing editor
Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson photo courtesy of Turkey Creek Nature Preserve
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October 21 - 27, 2020
Pinson Council says farewell to Mayor Hoyt Sanders, Councilor Joy McCain
WED THU
BIRMINGHAM — The Jefferson County Courthouses in Birmingham and Bessemer will be open on Saturday, Oct. 24, to accommodate those in need of absentee ballots for this year’s General Election, See ABSENTEE, Page 6
St. Clair County residents to vote on district option for school taxes By Erica Thomas, managing editor
ST. CLAIR COUNTY — When voters in St. Clair County go to the polls for the Nov. 3 General Election, there will be an extra amendment on the ballot concerning school districts. See DISTRICT, Page 6
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